Capítulo 106: Sorry, I Have No Comment
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D'Antoni nodded and said seriously,
"Donnie, as long as Stephen is my starting point guard, the Knicks will be able to enter the playoffs next season. Give me five years... no, three years, I only need three years, and the Knicks will appear in the Eastern Conference Finals!"
After he finished speaking, the two smiled at each other, as if they had already seen the day when the Knicks would be revived under Curry's leadership.
"Ring..."
Just then, Donnie Walsh's phone rang. He picked it up and saw it was Jeff Austin calling.
"Jeff, have you talked to Stephen? When can he come to New York?" Donnie Walsh answered the phone with a smile.
"Sorry, Donnie, Stephen can't go to New York for the tryout," Jeff Austin's deep voice came from the other end of the line.
"Haha, it's okay, just tell me the time, and I'll send someone to the airport... Wait, what did you say? Stephen can't come to the tryout?" Donnie Walsh started laughing but then suddenly reacted in surprise.
D'Antoni was also stunned upon hearing this. He subconsciously slapped the table, knocking a newspaper to the floor.
Donnie Walsh put the phone on speaker mode, took a deep breath, and said in a serious tone,
"Jeff, haven't we already reached a consensus? The Knicks are Stephen's best choice. If you have any doubts, feel free to raise them. I can assure you that the Knicks will train Stephen as our absolute core! Top salary, fame, status... apart from the championship, I can guarantee anything Stephen wants!"
Donnie Walsh spoke with confidence, waiting for Jeff Austin's response, believing that no team could offer better conditions.
"Mr. Walsh, I understand your sincerity, but Stephen really can't come to New York for the tryout. Please understand," Jeff Austin replied sincerely, quietly changing the topic.
"Can you tell me why?" Donnie Walsh asked.
"Sorry, no comment, but I can promise you this: if the Knicks draft Stephen, he would be happy to play for the Knicks," Jeff Austin said.
Donnie Walsh's mind raced. Suddenly, a thought came to him, and he blurted out,
"Jeff, is Stephen injured?"
There was silence on the other end of the phone. After a moment, Jeff Austin replied stiffly,
"Sorry, I have no comment."
"Beep..." Jeff Austin hung up right after.
Donnie Walsh threw his phone onto the table in frustration.
"Mike, you heard it. Curry isn't coming to New York for the tryout."
"Not only that, look at this." D'Antoni looked frustrated as he picked up the fallen newspaper, a copy of the San Francisco Chronicle.
It had been delivered to him by the team staff earlier that morning, but he hadn't had a chance to look at it closely yet.
Donnie Walsh took the newspaper and scanned it. On the second page of the sports section, the headline read:
"Stephen Curry's Agent Jeff Austin Reveals that Curry Will Miss the Joint Tryout in Chicago Due to Personal Reasons."
The report included several pictures of Jeff Austin being interviewed. Given that it was published in a major newspaper, its authenticity was unquestionable.
"Curry must be injured, and it must be serious. Otherwise, Jeff Austin wouldn't be making such statements," Donnie Walsh said firmly.
D'Antoni tapped his fingers on the table, deep in thought, and then suddenly said,
"Do you think another team might have promised Curry something, giving him the confidence to do this?"
Donnie Walsh pondered for a moment before shaking his head.
"That's impossible. No other team is a better fit than us. The only way this could happen is if the Clippers promise to use their number one pick on Curry... but you know they're fixated on Griffin. They aren't going to use the first pick on Curry."
"What you're saying makes sense. I panicked for a moment when I heard Curry wasn't coming for the tryout," D'Antoni said with a wry smile.
"Mike, based on Jeff Austin's reaction and the San Francisco Chronicle report, it's very likely that Curry is injured, and possibly seriously. Are you still set on drafting Curry?" Donnie Walsh asked.
D'Antoni remained silent for a while, then slowly nodded, speaking with conviction,
"Donnie, Curry is worth the gamble. He has the potential to become a superstar. I have a feeling that his future achievements will surpass Nash's. I still believe we should draft Curry."
"Alright then. We'll stick to the original plan. Jeff Austin's statement might even work in our favor," Donnie Walsh said, his frustration giving way to determination.
James Dolan wasn't giving him much time, and Walsh needed to show improvement soon. He decided to trust D'Antoni and place his bet on Curry.
He picked up his phone and sent a message to Jeff Austin:
"Jeff, no matter what happens, we're drafting Curry, and everything I promised still stands."
A few minutes later, Jeff Austin replied:
"Mr. Walsh, thank you for your confidence in Stephen. I repeat: if the Knicks draft Stephen, he will happily play for the Knicks."
Donnie Walsh smiled slightly, putting his phone away. He turned to D'Antoni and asked,
"Mike, tell me, who on the team is untouchable?"
D'Antoni thought about the game footage he'd watched earlier that morning and replied,
"I only want Curry. Everyone else is expendable."
...
As Donnie Walsh moved quickly to make deals, Jeff Austin's statement spread across the media. Curry officially withdrew from the Chicago joint tryout.
Rumors about Curry started circulating wildly. Some speculated that he had already struck a deal with another team and that his withdrawal was just a smokescreen to facilitate that team's draft strategy.
But this theory was quickly refuted. No matter how well Curry performed in the NCAA, his physical limitations were still a factor. He wasn't Griffin, and no team would take such a big risk without more certainty.
Other rumors suggested that Curry was seriously injured and that his agent was covering it up. If any team drafted him, they could be in trouble.
Some even claimed that Curry was a fraud, afraid to participate in the tryout because he didn't want to be exposed...
Among all these theories, the one most widely accepted by the media was that Curry had suffered a serious injury, and this explanation gained the most traction.
As public speculation grew, Curry's draft stock began to drop. His projected ranking fell anywhere between 4 and 14, with significant volatility, almost pushing him out of the lottery entirely.
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